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by PaulHoule 46 days ago
Part of my software engineering skillset is "going native" with subject matter experts to be able to get more out out of them and even work around the lack of sufficient SME on a project.

I see software development as part of a broader science, technology and even ideology of simulation. But I came from a research background too.
1 comments
koe123 46 days ago
Sounds like a similar track, and I agree that its a useful skill and talent.

What I mainly noticed was, after really understanding my domain, the confidence of the SWEs I was working with despite being incorrect. Now I am a SWE and I try to stay humble.

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kakacik 46 days ago
This is correct behavior. There must be a name for this effect of having some more or less shallow understanding and feeling like an actual expert with decades of experience from various sides of the topic.

SWEs I think are more susceptible to this since as you say we often dip in many areas and industries. No, we are not actual SMEs and proper experts (barring exceptions of course, but in any case we usually have a specific view on domain, while proper experts understand many/all views).

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